Amon Miyamoto has been named to assume the position as first artistic director of the new Kanagawa Arts Theatre scheduled to open in Yokohama in January of 2011. The term of his directorship will be four years, from April 2010 to March 2014, and he will also be involved as an advisor in the preparatory period leading up to the start of his term. The theatre (approx. 1,300 seats) will specialize in the performing arts of theater, musicals and dance and will also have large, mid-size and small studio spaces.

Miyamoto was born in 1958. After being active in Japan as an actor and choreographer, he studied for two years in London and New York. He returned to Japan and debuted as a director with the original musical I Got Merman that he wrote and choreographed. In 2004 he became the first Asian director to mount a musical on Broadway with his Pacific Overtures, which was nominated for four Tony Awards. He is widely known as one of Japan’s leading musical director.